Boothbabes, new wacky gadgets, and more

Didn't have the chance to attend CES 2013? No problem! Allow our 50 images to show you the highlights from the show floor. Everything from booth babes, wacky gadgets, and the products of the show are featured in the gallery below.

If you could have seen one thing from this year's CES, what would it be? Let us know in the comments!

Tweaks We Expect (And Hope) To See From Windows 8 Service Pack 1

Alright, haters. Judging by many of the comments left on this week’s “Week of Windows 8” posts, a number of you aren’t huge fans of Windows 8. In fact, some of you hate it so much, the very mention of the words “Windows” and “eight” in the same sentence – unless it’s a story about “Eight ways to not install Windows 8” or something like that — sets you into a frenzy.

How to build a home server with Windows 8

Saying that Windows 8 is a major shift in strategy for Microsoft is pretty obvious at this point. Between the Metro interface, complete dismissal of the start menu, focus on touch screen devices, and myriad other changes; this is not the Windows of the Bill Gates era. One change which hasn’t received much discussion is the idea of Windows 8 being Microsoft’s next iteration for not only Windows 7, but for Windows Home Server.

Forget the CD and install Windows 8 with your flash drive

A guide? To install Windows? Slapping a new operating system on your desktop or laptop PC should be old hat by now, right? This is Windows 8, after all: Odds are pretty good that you, an astute and well-travelled Maximum PC reader, have been around the ol’ Windows installation block a few times before.

Experience the Windows 8 release with our launch event video.

We had the opportunity to check out the Windows 8 release event at Microsoft’s San Jose Windows store, located in the heart of Silicon Valley.

In the video below, we go up close and personal with Microsoft’s newly released Surface RT tablet, get impressions from customers on the controversial new OS, and interview the store’s manager to see if the long-awaited launch lived up to the hype.

Click the "Read More" button to check out our image gallery from the launch.

Why did Microsoft dump the name Metro for its upcoming OS UI? Was it a legal threat from German-retailer Metro AG? Was it truly just a codename intended to be dumped once Win8 came out as the company has tried to spin it? At this point, no one outside of Microsoft really knows yet but more importantly—What will Microsoft replace it with?

Up in arms about the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA)? Well, you’re not even close to alone, and a new Android app can help the more passive opponents do their part to express their rage. The Boycott SOPA app allows users to leverage their phone’s camera to make sure they aren’t buying any products that come from companies supporting SOPA.

If you’ve ever spent any time playing an RPG or RTS of any kind, you know the biggest learning curve is figuring out what items or materials you need to build that sweet piece of gear your buddy carries around. The different combinations, tools, and techniques required by different games can also add to the confusion. The reality is learning the build tree in a particular game is the key to your survival and is the biggest obstacle between you and world domination.